Cutter chain



Jan. l5, 1946.' l.. E. slMVMoNs I I 2,393,001

CUTTER C HAIN I V y Filed Angl-9, 1943 l1 9/6 I f7 3 f aga 4- WAM/9m Iany.

Patented Jan. 15V, 1946 i 2,393,0or

,atisaooiI CUTTER CHAIN Massachusetts '-Smmpnsaaremont,Nf Ii assieme 'toanMachinery Company, a'corporatb'l of ApplcationfAgust 9, 1943,'-ySerial No. l497 ,923 (ci. 2oz- 33) claims..

Tursi irwentionM relates@ cutter chains 1 and more particularly to animproved bitlstop-fr a cutter bit carrying 'cutter` 'chain especiallyl"designed -foruse Vin the cutting-lof coal.

An object Aof the present-inventioi`-fistopTovide an improved 'cutterchain'. Anotherobject is jt'op'rovidean improvedy cutter chainAhavingirnpr'oved bitstops for the cutter bits on the blocks; Afurth'erobject is tov provide-an Aimproved bit stopl for limitingtl'ieinwardmovement `off'the bit shank in the -blocksockt- Yet another objectis to provide an improved detachablefb-it stop whichisqlooselypositioned between adjacentl 'strap llinks beneath theblocksocket for v`liniting theinward movement of the :bitshanklin thesocket'.A'lstill funther object isV to provide an improved bit stop :which is`relatively s'i-mplef in design and structure 'and which-may be readily'as'smbledon a conventional cutter chain.- Other.: objects andadvantages ofthe invention will, however, here inafter more Vfullyappear.

the'accompanying drawing there is shown for purposes of illustration oneform which the invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken through asection of a cutter chain with which an illustrative form of theimproved bit stop is associated.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig.l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the bit stop.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the bit stop.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the bit stop.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention the improved bit stop,generally designated I, is shown associated with a cutter bit carryingcutter chain of a conventional design. The cutter chain includes a chainblock 2 pivotally connected at 3 to strap links 4. The chain block has alateral lug 5 provided with a socket 6 for the reception of a cutterbit 1. This cutter bit is of the single pointed shanked type and has acutting portion 8 and an integral shank 9, the latter being received inthe socket 6 of the block lug. The chain block has parallel sideportions Ill, IIJ provided with lateral gibs II adapted for thereception in the guideway of a conventional cutter bar. The strap linksproject inwardly between the side portions Ill of the chain block andhave curved ends I2 spaced apart to provide a space I3 into which thetooth of a chain drive sprocket is adapted to enter so that the sprockettooth may engagea curved-'end "ofafstrapslinkfto drive the chain. Theblock lug hasra-ethreaded. opening I4 in which a setscrewI I"51isthreaded and this fset fscrew, when tightened, engages; they bit VKshankfirmly to hold thezcutter bit cutting; position on the-block. The blocksocket 6 enters at/its bottom vthe tooth space I3=between ith'e. link-1-ends, andpit'no stopwere provided, Athe bit shank,

would be free to drop down too far into thetoothspace- I3 "and-so tointerfere. withtzpropergen'gagement'of the sprocket tooth withthelink'.v4

In this improvedconstruction, the-bitstop :I is arranged'in the 'toothvspace I 3 between thel adi 'a-V cent ends of the strap links tolimit'inward 'move-Y ment of the. bit'shank inthe blockiugz-.socketyThis stop may assu-me variousforms and lisi-here@ in preferably in theformrof faimetal'lstrip-havin'g; enlargedy end portionsISfwhich extendsubstan-A tiallyv therfull. distance lbetween .theinner-isurfaces of thesidezportions :il fof theiblock in'thefm'ann'er` shown in Fig. 3. Thismetal strip is suitably.v bent into 'shapei-andhasits; endzportionscurvedf-at Il to rest against the curved upper portions of the adjacentends of the strap links. The sides of the bit stop are `preferably cutaway or recessed at I8 to provide lateral spaces through which dirt orcuttings may freely pass. The sides of the side portions I0 of the chainblock are apertured at I9 to permit discharge of dirt or cuttings fromthe tooth space I3 between the link-ends.

It will thus be seen that the bit shank 9, when it is inserted in theblock socket 6, may drop down until its lower end engages the narrowbridge portion 20 of the bit stop. By limiting theinward movement of thebit shank within the bit socket, undesired entry of the shank into thesprocket tooth space I3 is prevented, and also the gauge of the bit withrespect to the block may be predetermined. Engagement of the sides ofthe enlarged ends I6 of the bit stop with the inner side surfaces of theparallel side yportions Ill of the block and with the curved link-endsI2 holds the bit stop against displacement, while permitting somefreedom of movement of the stop. The bent piece of metal from which thestop is formed has some inherent resiliency, so in the event dirt orcuttings should pack in the sprocket tooth space, the stop would yieldslightly, reducing the possibility of breakage or distortion of thestop.

As a result of this invention an improved `de tachable bit stop isprovided which is of a simple and inexpensive design, and which may bereadily applied to a conventional cutter chain without modification.Since the bit stop is loosely positioned in the block between thelink-ends, it may be readily inserted into position and easily removed.Due to the novel design of the bit stop,

bit stop parts Welded or otherwise .permanentlyV secured to the blockare avoided." Other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

bit receiving socket, chain elements pivotally connected to said block,said block and chain elements being so arranged that a sprocket toothreceiving space is formed within the block between the adjacent ends ofsaid chain elements, said socket communicating at its lower end withsaid space, and a detachable bit stop loosely mounted in said spaceabove the sprocket tooth receiving portion thereof and beneath saidsocket and resting against the adjacent ends of said ,4 chain ele-mentsfor limiting inward movement of While there is in this applicationspecically t described one form which the invention may assume inpractice, it will be understood that this form of the saine is shown forpurposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modied andembodied in various other forms without de.

parting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims;

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. In a cutter chain, a chain block having a bit receiving socket,straplinks pivotally connected to said block, and a detachable bit stoploosely positioned in said block between and resting against theadjacent ends of the strap links for limiting inward movement of a bitin said block socket. A

2. In a cutter chain, a chain block having a bit receiving socketV andspaced apart parallel side portions, strap links pivotally connected tosaid block and projecting between said side portions, the inner adjacentends of the links being spaced apart to provide a space, and adetachable bit stop positioned in said space between said side blockportions and the adjacent link-ends, said' stop guided betweensaidsideportions and resting against said link-.ends and serving to limit inwardmovement of a bit in said block socket. f

3.7In a cutter chain, a chain block having a t a cutter bit in saidsocket.

4. In a cutter chain, a chain block having a bit receiving socket andspaced apart side portions, strap links pivotally connected to saidblock and projecting between said side block portions, the inneradjacent ends of said strap links being curved and spaced apart toprovide a sprocket tooth receiving space, and a detachable bit stopdisposed in said space between said side block portions and saidadjacent link-ends andloosely supported by said strap links, the ends ofsaid stop being curved to conform to the curved ends of said straplinks, said stop serving to limit inward movement of a bit in saidlblock socket.

5. In a cutter chain, a chain lblock having a bit receiving socket andspaced apart side portions, strap links pivotally connected to saidblock and projecting between said side block portions, the inneradjacent ends of said strap links being curved and spaced apart toprovide a sprocket tooth receiving space, and a detachable bit stopdisposed in said space between said side block portions and saidadjacent links-ends, the sides of said stop being parallel and the endsof said stop being curved to conform to the curved ends of said straplinks, and said curved ends' of said stop resting against said ends offsaid links and the sides of said stop being guided by said side blockportions, said stop serving to limit inward movement of a bit insaid'block socket.

LEON E. SIMMONS.

